List of mammals of the Azores

This is a list of the mammal species recorded in the Azores Islands, Portugal. Except for marine mammals and two species of bats, the Azores were completely devoid of mammals prior to their discovery in the early 15th century. All other mammals in the islands are therefore introduced species.

The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Order: Rodentia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg.


 * Suborder: Myomorpha
 * Family: Muridae (mice and rats)
 * Subfamily: Murinae
 * Genus: Mus
 * House mouse, Mus musculus
 * Genus: Rattus
 * Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus introduced
 * Black rat, Rattus rattus introduced

Order: Erinaceomorpha (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.


 * Family: Erinaceidae (hedgehogs)
 * Subfamily: Erinaceinae
 * Genus: Erinaceus
 * European hedgehog, E. europaeus

Order: Chiroptera (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.


 * Family: Vespertilionidae (mouse-eared bats)
 * Subfamily: Myotinae
 * Genus: Myotis
 * Greater mouse-eared bat, Myotis myotis
 * Subfamily: Verpertilioninae
 * Genus: Nyctalus
 * Azores noctule, Nyctalus azoreum

Order: Cetacea (whales)
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater. Many species of cetaceans reproduce around the Azores.


 * Suborder: Mysticeti
 * Family: Balaenidae
 * Genus: Eubalaena
 * North Atlantic right whale, Eubalaena glacialis
 * Family: Balaenopteridae (rorquals)
 * Genus: Balaenoptera
 * Northern minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata
 * Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis
 * Blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus
 * Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus
 * Genus: Megaptera
 * Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae
 * Suborder: Odontoceti
 * Family: Delphinidae (dolphins and pilot whales)
 * Genus: Globicephala
 * Short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhyncus
 * Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas
 * Genus: Grampus
 * Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus
 * Genus: Orcinus
 * Killer whale, Orcinus orca
 * Genus: Stenella
 * Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba
 * Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis
 * Genus: Tursiops
 * Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus
 * Family: Kogiidae (small sperm whales)
 * Genus: Kogia
 * Pygmy sperm whale, Kogia breviceps
 * Dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima
 * Family: Physeteridae (sperm whales)
 * Genus: Physeter
 * Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus
 * Family: Ziphiidae (beaked whales)
 * Genus: Hyperoodon
 * Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus
 * Genus: Mesoplodon
 * Sowerby's beaked whale, Mesoplodon bidens
 * Blainville's beaked whale, Mesoplodon densirostris
 * Gervais' beaked whale, Mesoplodon europaeus
 * True's beaked whale, Mesoplodon mirus
 * Genus: Ziphius
 * Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris

Order: Carnivora (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.


 * Suborder: Caniformia
 * Family: Mustelidae (mustelids)
 * Genus: Mustela
 * Least weasel, Mustela nivalis
 * Family: Phocidae (earless seals)
 * Genus: Monachus
 * Mediterranean monk seal, Monachus monachus